This is a classic herb salt used in Northern Italy. You can improvise endlessly on the basic formula by improvising your own mix of herbs. Thyme, rosemary, and savory with a touch of lavender will make a lovely Provencal herb salt.

It is good on just about anything. Use it as an essential seasoning for roasts of all kinds like. It’s also great on vegetables, dried beans, popcorn, potatoes, eggs…

This salt has a high proportion of herbs to salt, making it extremely flavorful. Add additional salt to tone down the intensity – up to half as much.

Hand chopping gives a slightly less-uniform salt and is, surprisingly, fun, relaxing and quick. I recently came up with a faster food processor method that retains the essential pleasingly rough texture.

If you want to make a lot of herb salt, I suggest doing it in batches, rather than all at once, to retain the right texture.

• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• Scant 1/2 cup kosher salt
• About 2 cups loosely-packed, pungent fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, savory, or small amounts of lavender (Note:For Tuscan herb salt use a mix of fresh rosemary and sage leaves, 50/50 or whatever balance you prefer)

Hand-Chopped Method

1. Cut each garlic clove lengthwise through the center, remove the sprout (if any) in the center and discard.

2. Mound the salt and garlic on a cutting board. Use a chef's knife to mince the garlic, blending it with the salt as you work.

3. Place herbs in a mound and coarsely chop them. Add the herbs to the garlic salt and chop them together to the texture of coarse sand.

4. Spread the salt on a baking sheet or in wide flat bowls and leave them near an open window for a couple of days to dry. Store in clean, dry jars, or for gifts, pack into cello bags and tie with a ribbon.

Food Processor Method

Making herb salts in a food processor can reduce them to an over-processed powder UNLESS you use this trick: chop the herbs with only one third of the salt, then stir in the rest.

1. Cut each garlic clove lengthwise through the center, remove the sprout (if any) in the center and discard.

2. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the salt. Pulse until the garlic is chopped medium-coarse. Add the herbs and continue pulsing until the mixture is the texture of very coarse sand. Transfer to a sheet pan and toss with the remaining salt.

3. Leave them near an open window for a couple of days to dry. Store in clean, dry jars, or for gifts, pack into cello bags and tie with a ribbon.